Introduction
Health management is very broad. Addressing several issues facing the health sector is challenging for most health managers. Healthcare management involves controlling and coordinating health systems and services. This type of management requires trained healthcare professionals with vast knowledge in health care. The world is changing and so is everything. The dynamics of public health are complex and need rightful interpretation. The future of public health requires good interpretation and understanding of the human environment. The changes experienced in healthcare are meant to respond to the evolution of the human environment. Health service is a basic fundamental human right. It is critical for every individual in this context to have access to quality health care. Nations worldwide are struggling to respond to the challenges associated with healthcare. To realize sustainable development, it is important to define a clear future for health management. Referring to how healthcare management has evolved over the recent past, one can tell that its future is modern and flexible. Contemporary issues and ailing societies call for a change of approach. Healthcare responds to the ailments that affect society and as such, care must be responsive to the needs of communities. This paper discusses the future of healthcare management in the next ten years.
The future of management (healthcare)
Management is an evolving task. It requires a constant change of strategies to address emerging changes in society. The future of management should not be left in disarray. New trends have emerged in public health that many can just hope are meant to improve the quality of service. This section of the paper will look at nine prospective issues about the future of management, with a special reference to health care. Management should involve good policy development, program evaluations, and service assurances (National Research Council, 1988, p. 56).
In this regard, the future of management is concerned with achieving health care goals. The trend of health care service should have modern and flexible approaches, ranging from childcare to palliative care. Managers should strive to meet current challenges and come up with measures that will improve the sector. It is also important to note that challenges are growing, and as such, future strategies must address the existing and emerging challenges. The future of management in public health is discussed below.
Demographic shift (Increased expenditure)
A Demographic shift refers to the transitions in populations. These transitions may include having reduced levels of mortality rates and increased life expectancy, among others. Any factor that affects the human population contributes to demographic shifts. According to Felder (2013, p. 34), future government expenditures in the health sector will continue to respond to the growing population. The world population is ever-growing. This calls for the need for healthcare. As populations increase, the demand for services also increases sharply. The America Medical Association (2012, p. 23) argues that with an aging population, there is an increase in levels of chronic diseases. As such, health management strategies should be aimed at addressing these challenges. According to Felder (2013, p. 77), there is no direct correlation between the aging population and health care. However, the American Medical Association (2012, p. 88) posits that the two relate in several ways. Old age is associated with a weak immune system. It is the responsibility of healthcare organizations to provide quality services to consumers, to boost the health of the old.
Public health must grow in terms of capacity to address such issues. This growth is determined by increasing the allocation of resources. Resources are meant to increase training of new staff, purchasing modern equipment, and researching among others. Increased expenditure in healthcare organizations will ensure that the new challenges facing healthcare organizations are addressed. The population is increasing sharply, and so is life expectancy. The quality of life is determined by well-established healthcare plans. Quality health care cannot be established by having meager allocations. According to Smith and Walshe (2011, p. 87), in most developed countries, the funds allocated to the healthcare sector take large percentages of government spending. This is because of the importance of healthcare products and services in any economy. All the other sub-sectors of economies exist only if the nation is healthy. Public health management involves controlling health systems properly, to realize their effectiveness and efficiency. In the future, many health care organizations will spend on reliable management systems. This is because many populations will require advanced healthcare systems, which will be achieved through increased allocations.
Advanced technological inventions
According to Felder (2013, p. 134), healthcare technologies are aging. The world is technological advancements every single day. Creativity and innovations have become the backbone of solving societal problems. The future of management in health care will be focused on ensuring that the sector is up to date with new technologies. Smith and Walshe (201, p 111) argue that due to the increased reliance on health care services, there is a need to have advanced innovations. Complexities of contemporary ailments require relevant advanced technologies. Medical procedures such as complex surgeries, diagnostics, and other procedures require heavy investments in technology.
In this regard, the future of healthcare is symbolized by increased innovations and creations. Healthcare management must increase the pace of innovations in the sector. They should come up with new research methods, using advanced, diagnostic and treatment equipment. These technological innovations will be aimed at improving healthcare efficiency and effectiveness. Complex medical conditions will get responsive and effective approaches. In this context, healthcare managers will be required to be more innovative, productive, and accountable. The future of healthcare management requires more responsible and proactive managers.
Specialized skills
Guttry (2012, p. 91) argues that the future of public health management requires managers with relevant skills. The health sector needs people, who can be able to mobilize resources for it to grow. They should also be able to address the rising demand for services. Specialized skills are required in all fields of medicine. New medical conditions emerge and require new approaches and specialized skills, to solve health care problems. Training curricular will be strengthened to increase knowledge in medicine. The sector will need skilled labor, to address health issues. In this regard, it is important to note that, in terms of training, public health will require well-developed curricula. Medicine academic programs will have more developed content that enables practitioners to have an in-depth understanding of human beings and their environment. Skills are not only limited to having well-informed labor capacity but also having good management of the sector. To match the rate of growth in medicine, good training will be necessary. Future management will focus on training to offer long-term health solutions. According to Felder (2013, p. 41), future management in the healthcare sector must brace up for emerging problems. New challenges will keep on emerging. The healthcare management will have strategies to avert a possible crisis.
Smaller hospitals and growth of outpatient systems
There is an increased number of individualized care. The future of management will focus on the growing health networks that will create smaller hospitals. Healthcare will be focused on giving outpatient services, rather than inpatient services. According to Guttry (2012, p. 61), the emerging trends in healthcare will be focused on improving delivery. Medicine will experience reforms that are meant to upgrade systems. Smaller hospitals will be distributed to increase access to health care. Their small nature will facilitate outpatient catering. In the future, the rising needs of customers will call for this type of approach (Silvis, 2012, p. 12). The American Medical Association (2012, p. 71) suggests that a bolder approach will be needed in fighting the increase in chronic diseases. Such approaches may include the establishment of small community-based hospitals that are well equipped. The hospitals will give customers good health care, provided they are well equipped. This elaborates why future health managers will have to focus on increasing accessibility by establishing more small equipped hospitals.
The targeted approach to medical conditions
Health management is likely to take a new turn. This paper has explained some factors that have a direct influence on the future of medicine management. According to Wheeler and Grice (2000, p. 77), treatment will be more focused on getting actual results than now. Technological advancement and skilled manpower will be a big boost to the sector. This is due to the management approach that will apply in the future. That is, management focused on improving the quality of services. Service-oriented approach management will increase health care effectiveness. According to the American Medical Association (2012, p. 54), complexities that emerge today are increasing chances of developing advanced systems. Responding to medical problems will be effective due to having predictive evidence. Technologies will be the backbone of medical operations and as such, there will be equipment necessary for having predictive evidence.
Incentives
In the future, healthcare managers will focus on creating incentives. Private investments in the sector will increase. As such incentives to encourage heavy investments will be awarded. The incentives will be meant to increase the availability of resources as a result of public-private partnerships (Guttry, 2012, p. 44). Achieving the goal of having quality health care will call for the participation of every sector of the economy. As noted in this paper, the sector will need creativity and innovation that can only be possible if there is an enabling environment. Incentives will increase public and private enthusiasm in investing in health care. Health is a fundamental right. Therefore, denying citizens the right of having a quality life is equal to infringement of human rights. Incentives are meant to increase investment in the sector. In this regard, hospitals and other health care management will put their focus on heavy investments to increase accessibility (Guttry, 2012, p. 61). To attract more investors, management will have to come up with attractive packages that attract them. Such packages are not restricted to incentives.
Increased employment
In 10 years to come, employment opportunities will increase in the health sector. This is quite evident from policies that will define future health care. Ranging from management jobs to other small rank jobs, the number of persons employed in the health sector is meant to rise. Increased government expenditure in healthcare will be meant to increase the capacity of health facilities. Heavy investments in expensive equipment will need highly skilled labor (Guttry, 2012, p. 99). A wide network of hospitals will need medical staff to attend to patients. To achieve quality health care, there will be a need for health care management to invest heavily in health care. This will include investments from the private sector. The investments in the private sector will create employment opportunities, in that, the services of staff will be needed to operate equipment and attend to patients. Increased employment will also be facilitated by the increased population. The increase in population will increase the demand for health services. Therefore, more staff will be needed to respond to medical problems.
High-quality oriented organizations
Management in health care will embrace a service-oriented approach to management (Drucker, 2006, p. 63). This will be aimed at increasing the effectiveness of health services. Quality will be a priority in health care that every patient will be entitled to. To face future challenges in the health sector, health care leadership will concentrate on aspiring quality. This sector will face many challenges in the future because of the increased population, among other factors. These factors will pose great challenges that will need leaders to have high managerial skills. These skills will enable managers to set up high-quality-oriented organizations (Drucker, 2006, p. 66). The impact that leadership has on the workforce cannot be disputed. High-quality health facilities will thrive due to motivated staff, in the workplace. The staff gets motivated as a result of good managerial skills. Managements will be focused on the establishment of high-quality organizations with highly motivated medical staff. Every action will be accounted for, and management will be concerned about providing the best services.
Health insurance plans
Health insurance is set to boom in the coming years. Health management will seek to create more affordable plans that will promote access to quality health care (World Health Organization, 2005, p. 49). Acceptability of health insurance has taken decades to take shape, but in the coming decades, it is set to grow. Healthcare sectors take big portions of countries’ economies in most developed countries. Healthcare managers will invest in health covers, which cover the needs of people. According to the American Medical Association (2012, p. 82), the majority of the population, reliance on medical care is increasing. To respond to this, it will be necessary for health care management to consider setting up healthcare covers that ensure quality care for all. It is also important to note that increased investment from the private sector will not only be limited to direct investment in terms of equipment but will also extend to insurance policies.
Conclusion
Management in healthcare is set to experience enormous changes to address new challenges. Demographic factors will change health management approaches. There are various aspects to look at when talking about the future of management. The future of management is focused on achieving acceptable standard qualities. The world is evolving, and so is everything. To remain in the market for healthcare products and services will call for proper managerial skills. Healthcare business models will also change, shortly. More creative and innovative ways will be required in management. Healthcare managers will be highly skilled to match the new standards. The world is focusing more on improving the quality of services. About the discussion of this paper, management involves controlling and coordinating activities within organizations. The paper discusses the future of resource mobilization and coordination for the realization of better health care. This is the primary focus of most managers, in health organizations.
List of references
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Drucker, P 2011, Managing the Non-profit Organisation, Routledge, Oxon, NY.
Felder, S 2013, Managing the Healthcare System: The impact of demographic change in Healthcare Expenditure, University of Basel. Web.
Guttry, P 2012, What Health Care Managers Need to Know-and How to Teach Them. Web.
National Research Council 1988, The Future of Public Health, The National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Walshe, K & Smith, J 2011, Healthcare management, Open University Press, Maidenhead, Australia.
Wheeler, N & Grice, D 2000, Management in health care, Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham, Glos.
World Health Organization 2005, Preventing Chronic Diseases: A vital Investment.